1. Field of Application
The present invention relates to a vehicle-use alternator that is designed to be mounted in an automobile or truck.
2. Description of Prior Art
When a vehicle-use AC generator (in general, simply referred to as an alternator) is to be attached, in the process of assembling a vehicle, it is necessary to hold the alternator in a suspended condition as it is being moved into the required position for being mounted on the vehicle. Various arrangements can be envisaged to enable the alternator to be supported in such a suspended condition, for example by providing protrusion portions on the exterior of the alternator with holes formed in these protrusion portions, so that the holes can be used for suspending the alternator while it is being moved into the desired position for being mounted, e.g., in a location close to the vehicle engine.
In recent years, for example as described in Japanese patent No. 11-262213, pages 3˜4, FIGS. 1˜6, a side-mounted type of alternator has come into use, whereby the alternator is attached directly to an engine bracket at three or more points. With such a side-mounted alternator, it is necessary to accurately position a set of attachment holes of the alternator with respect to corresponding attachment holes formed in the engine bracket.
However when such a side-mounted alternator is being lowered towards such a required position, in a suspended condition, the problem arises that movement of the suspended alternator may be obstructed by the engine head, or by some other equipment that is located near the engine, e.g., when the engine head or some other piece of equipment protrudes above the location where the alternator is to be mounted (that is to say, extends above the outer ends of the attachment holes that are formed in the engine bracket). Similarly, horizontal movement of the suspended alternator, towards the required position for attachment to the engine bracket, may also be similarly obstructed. It may thereby become difficult or impossible to accurately align the attachment holes formed in the alternator with the attachment holes in the engine bracket.
Moreover, if the alternator is simply held suspended by chains, etc., when performing this positioning operation, it becomes difficult to maintain the alternator in a desired attitude, so that the alternator can be attached with a required angular orientation.